Magnetically Attached Floor Covering for a Boat

ABSTRACT

A magnetically attached carpeting or other covering for a floor of a boat includes a set of magnetic elements connected to the floor and another set of magnetic elements connected to the carpeting. Wherein, the location of the magnetic elements of the floor and carpeting generally match each other. When the carpeting is installed on the floor, the magnetic elements of the floor and carpeting attract each other thereby promoting attachment of the carpeting to the floor. The carpeting can be removed from the floor by overcoming the magnetic attraction between the matching magnetic elements. Effectiveness of the attachment is not diminished by repeated installation and removal of the carpet from the boat floor.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/045,843, filed Apr. 17, 2008, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to floor and deck covering, such ascarpet, for watercraft and boats.

BACKGROUND

Boats have been developed with a variety of floor and deck coverings toserve a variety of purposes. Boat floors may be fully or partiallycovered with such coverings. For example, carpeting has been used toprovide a soft tread surface comfortable for bare feet. Carpeting alsoprovides thermal protection, reducing or eliminating discomfort to barefeet caused by sun heated floors. In addition, carpeting can provide aslip resistant tread surface on the floor of the boat.

It is often desired to employ easily removable floor and deck coveringin boats. When soiled, a removable floor covering allows cleaning thefloor covering away from the boat. If soil has reached underneath thefloor covering, this soil can be more easily and thoroughly cleanedafter the floor covering has been removed.

Snap fasteners are commonly used for attaching removable floor coveringsto boat floors. Snap fasteners are typically made of metal that is proneto corrode and/or rust. The rust and/or corrosion can stain and discolorthe boat and detract from its appearance.

FIG. 2 illustrates a boat floor 104 s covered by a removable covering200. The removable covering 200 is bounded by a perimeter 202 generallymatching the perimeter of the boat floor 104 s and includes otherfeatures such as a seat post hole 220. The removable covering 200 isattached to the boat floor 104 s by snap fasteners. Snap fastenerstypically have a metal cap protruding above a tread surface 204 of thefloor covering 200. This metal snap cap can cause discomfort if steppedon with bare feet, especially if heated by the sun. The snap cap istypically joined through the floor covering 200 to a female snap socket214 on the underside of the floor covering 200. A plurality of male snapstuds 212 are typically fastened to the floor 104 s in a predeterminedpattern matching a pattern of snap caps and sockets 214 joined throughthe floor covering 200. Typically, the snap studs 212 are connected tothreaded posts that are threaded into the boat floor 104 s. The floorcovering 200 may be removably connected to the floor 104 s by locatingthe conjoined snap cap and socket 214 over the fastened snap stud 212and pressing together until engaged. The components of the snap fastener(the snap cap, snap socket 214, and snap stud 212) each add a layer ofthickness resulting in a significant lump above the boat floor 104 s.

Threaded fasteners, either used to directly fasten a floor covering tothe floor or to fasten the snap stud 212 to the floor 104 s can resultin stress concentrations in the floor that cause cracking in a gel-coator other surface layer of the boat floor. In cored floors, such surfacecracking can allow water into the core and damage the floor.Furthermore, when the floor covering 200 is removed from the floor 104 sof the boat, the snap studs 212 can cause discomfort if stepped on withbare feet.

There is a need for an easily removable boat flooring system that doesnot use threaded fasteners or snap fasteners. The present disclosurefulfills this and other needs.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a magnetically attachedfloor covering system for covering a floor of a boat. The magneticallyattached floor covering system includes a set of magnetic floor elementsconnected to and laid out on the floor. The magnetically attached floorcovering system also includes a removable floor covering, including atread surface and a set of magnetic floor covering elements, which isinstalled over the floor. The set of magnetic floor covering elementsare connected to and positioned below the tread surface of the removablefloor covering such that they generally match the layout of the set ofmagnetic floor elements. The set of magnetic floor elements and the setof magnetic floor covering elements magnetically attract each otherthereby attaching the removable floor covering to the floor of the boat.

In one embodiment, the floor is a molded floor (e.g., a fiberglassfloor, a rotomolded floor, an injection molded floor, or other type ofmolded floor), and the set of magnetic floor elements is embedded andmolded into the floor. In another embodiment, the set of magnetic floorelements is attached on top of a floor surface (e.g., by adhesive). Inthe case of a fiberglass boat, in certain embodiments, the magneticfloor elements may be attached (e.g., bonded) to a gel-coat layer of thefloor. Also in certain embodiments, the set of magnetic floor coveringelements is attached to the removable floor covering by a technique suchas bonding, sewing, or other technique.

In a preferred embodiment, the sets of magnetic elements includerubberized, rust resistant magnets. To increase the holding force of therubberized magnets and to reduce their thickness, the rubberized magnetscan employ a Halbach array.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a boat illustrating a floor of a passenger areacovered by a carpet, the carpet shown as a broken-out portion;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a broken-out portion of a prior art boatfloor carpet connected to a boat floor by a set of snap fasteners;

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the broken-out portion of the boat floorcarpet of FIG. 1 connected to the boat floor of FIG. 1 by a set ofmagnetic elements;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional elevation schematic view of a boat carpet,including at least one magnetic element flush with a backing of the boatcarpet, magnetically attached to a boat floor, including at least onemagnetic element flush with the boat floor;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional elevation schematic view of another boatcarpet, including at least one magnetic element mounted on a backing ofthe boat carpet, magnetically attached to another boat floor, includingat least one magnetic element within a pocket of the boat floor;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional elevation schematic view of the boat carpetand boat floor of FIG. 4, the boat carpet separated from the boat floor;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional elevation schematic view of the boat carpetand boat floor of FIG. 5, the boat carpet separated from the boat floor;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a magnet employing magnetic segmentsarranged in a Halbach array;

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the magnet of FIG. 8 further illustratingan augmented magnetic field on the magnet's bottom and a diminishedmagnetic field on the magnet's top; and

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional elevation schematic view of still anotherboat carpet, including at least one magnetic element mounted on abacking of the boat carpet, magnetically attached to still another boatfloor, including at least one magnetic element mounted on a surface ofthe boat floor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to a magnetically attached floor coveringsystem for covering a floor of a boat. As illustrated at FIG. 1, anexample boat 50 includes a passenger area 101 with a floor 104. Thefloor 104 is bounded by a perimeter 102. A magnetically attached floorcovering system 300 covers the floor 104 of the boat 50 and is boundedby a perimeter 302 (see FIG. 3) generally matching the perimeter 102 ofthe floor 104. The floor covering system 300 can further include otherfeatures such as a seat post hole 320.

As shown at FIG. 3, the magnetically attached floor covering system 300includes a set of magnetic floor elements 312 connected to and laid outon the floor 104 of the boat 50. The floor covering system 300 alsoincludes a removable floor covering 304, including a tread surface 305and a set of magnetic floor covering elements 314, which is installedover the floor 104. The set of magnetic floor covering elements 314 areconnected to and positioned below the tread surface 305 of the removablefloor covering 304 such that they generally match the layout of the setof magnetic floor elements 312. The set of magnetic floor elements 312and the set of magnetic floor covering elements 314 magnetically attracteach other thereby attaching the removable floor covering 304 to thefloor 104 of the boat 50.

In a preferred embodiment, the set of magnetic floor elements 312 andthe set of magnetic floor covering elements 314 both include permanentmagnets, each of the magnets having opposite north and south magneticpoles. Upon installing the removable floor covering 304 over the floor104, individual magnets of the set of magnetic floor covering elements314 are positioned adjacent to individual magnets of the set of magneticfloor elements 312. Thus each of the individual magnets connected to thetread surface 305 is paired with and adjacent to one of the individualmagnets connected to the floor 104. The adjacent pairs of magnets areoriented such that the adjacent magnetic poles are opposite each otherand thus attract each other.

In another embodiment, the set of magnetic floor elements 312 includespermanent magnets and the set of magnetic floor covering elements 314includes non-permanent magnetic elements. Upon installing the removablefloor covering 304 over the floor 104, the non-permanent magneticelements of the set of magnetic floor covering elements 314 arepositioned adjacent to individual permanent magnets of the set ofmagnetic floor elements 312. Thus each of the non-permanent magneticelements connected to the tread surface 305 is paired with, adjacent to,and attracted to one of the individual permanent magnets connected tothe floor 104.

In still another embodiment, the set of magnetic floor elements 312includes non-permanent magnetic elements and the set of magnetic floorcovering elements 314 includes permanent magnets. Upon installing theremovable floor covering 304 over the floor 104, the individualpermanent magnets of the set of magnetic floor covering elements 314 arepositioned adjacent to non-permanent magnetic elements of the set ofmagnetic floor elements 312. Thus each of the individual permanentmagnets connected to the tread surface 305 is paired with, adjacent to,and attracted to one of the non-permanent magnetic elements connected tothe floor 104.

The set of magnetic floor elements 312 can be attached to the floor 104by means such as adhesive bonding. In one embodiment, the floor 104 is afiberglass floor and the set of magnetic floor elements 312 are embeddedand molded into the floor 104 during the manufacture of the floor 104.By this method of manufacturing the floor, uncured fiberglass resin wetsthe set of magnetic floor elements 312 and securely bonds them to thefiberglass material of the floor 104 when cured. As illustrated at FIGS.4 and 6 at a single location, the set of magnetic floor elements 312 isembedded into the floor 104 such that the elements 312 are flush with atop surface 108 of the floor 104. Alternatively, as illustrated at FIGS.5 and 7 at a single location, the set of magnetic floor elements 312 isembedded into an alternate floor 104′ such that the elements 312 arebelow a top surface 108′ of the floor 104′ and within a pocket 110formed into fiberglass material of the floor 104′. In still anotherembodiment, as illustrated at FIG. 10, the set of magnetic floorelements 312 are mounted (e.g., with adhesive) above a top surface 108″of still another floor 104″.

In the magnetically attached floor covering systems 300 (FIGS. 1, 3, 4,and 6), 300′ (FIGS. 5 and 7), and 300″ (FIG. 10) no holes need be madein the floor 104, 104′, and 104″ for the purpose of attaching the floorcovering 304 and 304′. Thus the aforementioned problems of floorcracking, gel-coat cracking, core damage, leaking, etc. are avoided.

The set of magnetic floor covering elements 314 can be attached to thetread surface 305 by means such as adhesive bonding thereby forming theremovable floor covering 304. The removable floor covering 304 mayfurther include a backing 306. In one embodiment, the set of magneticfloor covering elements 314 is sewn into the tread surface 305 and/orthe backing 306. In certain embodiments, the set of magnetic floorcovering elements 314 are fastened to the tread surface 305 and/or thebacking 306. As illustrated at FIGS. 4 and 6 at a single location, theset of magnetic floor covering elements 314 is attached to the treadsurface 305 and/or the backing 306 such that the set of elements 314 areflush with a bottom surface 307 of the removable floor covering 304.Alternatively, as illustrated at FIGS. 5, 7, and 10 at a singlelocation, the set of magnetic floor covering elements 314 is attached tothe tread surface 305 such that the set of elements 314 extend past abottom surface 307′ of an alternate removable floor covering 304′.

FIGS. 4 through 7 and 10 are not necessarily to scale but illustratevarious schematic layouts of the removable floor covering 304, 304′,including the set of magnetic floor covering elements 314; the floor104, 104′, 104″; and the set of magnetic floor elements 312. In theschematic layout of FIGS. 5 and 7, the thickness of the magneticelements 312 and 314 can be accommodated within the depth of the pocket110 of the floor 104′ and thereby result in the tread surface 305 havinga smooth contour. In the schematic layout of FIGS. 4 and 6, thethickness of the magnetic floor element 312 can be accommodated byinlaying it within the floor 104 and the thickness of the magnetic floorcovering element 314 can be accommodated by inlaying it within theremovable floor covering 304. Thus the schematic layouts of FIGS. 4 and6 also result in the tread surface 305 having a smooth contour. In theschematic layout of FIG. 10, the magnetic floor element 312 is surfacemounted to the floor 104″ and the magnetic floor covering element 314 issurface mounted to the removable floor covering 304′. Other combinationsof surface mounting and recess mounting the magnetic elements 312, 314are possible. For example, the removable floor covering 304′, includingthe surface mounted magnetic floor covering element 314, can be usedwith the floor 104, including the recess mounted magnetic floor element312.

In embodiments, such as shown at FIG. 10, where the magnetic floorelement 312 and/or the magnetic floor covering element 314 are surfacemounted without an accommodating pocket (such as the pocket 110 of FIG.7), minimizing thickness of the magnetic elements 312 and/or 314 ispreferred. By minimizing the thickness of the magnetic elements 312and/or 314, a local protuberance of the tread surface 305 (see FIG. 10)caused by the magnetic elements 312 and/or 314 is also minimized. Incertain embodiments of the present disclosure, the magnetic elements 312and/or 314 can be made from commercially available permanent magnetsless than about 1/16 inch thick. In other embodiments, the magneticelements 312 and/or 314 can be made from commercially availablepermanent magnets less than about ⅛ inch thick. Non-permanent magneticelements are also commercially available in thicknesses less than about1/16″ thick and in thicknesses less than about ⅛″ thick. As mentionedabove, the magnetic elements 312 and 314 can include non-permanentmagnetic elements. By using suitably thin permanent magnets and/orsuitably thin non-permanent magnetic elements as the magnetic elements312 and/or 314, the protuberance of the tread surface 305 can be reducedto an acceptable or even negligible size.

The floor covering system 300 facilitates installing the removable floorcovering 304 on the floor 104 of the boat 50. As described above andillustrated at FIGS. 4 and 6, the removable floor covering 304 isaligned and positioned above the floor 104 (FIG. 6), the aligned sets ofmagnetic elements 312, 314 attached to the floor 104 and tread surface305 attract each other and thereby secure the removable floor covering304 to the floor 104 (FIG. 4). The floor covering system 300 alsofacilitates removing the removable floor covering 304 from the floor 104of the boat 50. The removal can be accomplished by lifting the removablefloor covering 304, preferably along the perimeter 302 (see FIG. 3),with sufficient force to overcome the attraction between the sets ofmagnetic elements 312, 314. By peeling the removable floor covering 304from the floor 104 starting at the perimeter 302, the attraction betweenthe sets of magnetic elements 312, 314 can be overcome one magneticelement pair at a time, thereby reducing the force required.

In addition to the attractive forces between the sets of magneticelements 312, 314, certain embodiments of the floor covering system 300further hold and secure the installed floor covering 304 to the floor104 by supplementary means. These supplementary means include a closefit between the perimeter 302 of the installed floor covering 304 andthe perimeter 102 of the floor 104 (see FIGS. 1 and 3). Additionally, ahigh friction surface, such as rubber, may be employed at the bottomsurface 307 of the removable floor covering 304 and/or the top surface108 of the floor 104. The close fit and the high friction surface(s),used separately or together, aid in keeping the installed floor covering304 from sliding on the floor 104 of the boat 50. An alternatemagnetically attached floor covering system 300′, illustrated at FIGS. 5and 7, further includes a close fit between the pockets 110, formed intothe fiberglass material of the floor 104′, and the set of magnetic floorcovering elements 314, attached to the tread surface 305. The close fitbetween the pockets 110 and the set of magnetic elements 314 furtherholds and secures the installed floor covering 304′ to the floor 104′ ofthe boat 50.

In a preferred embodiment, the sets of magnetic elements 312, 314include rubberized, rust resistant magnets. Additionally, the rubberizedmagnets can be colored to match the floor 104, 104′ of the boat 50. Toincrease the holding force of the rubberized magnets and to reduce theirthickness, a plurality of rubberized magnets 400 employing a Halbacharray can be included in the sets of magnetic elements 312, 314. Asillustrated and idealized at FIGS. 8 and 9, the example magnet 400,employing the Halbach array, includes various magnetic segments withvarious magnetic field vectors 418 oriented in various directions. Inparticular, an up-facing segment 406, a down-facing segment 408, aright-facing segment 410, and a left-facing segment 412 are arranged asshown. This arrangement results in a magnetically augmented side 402 ofthe magnet 400 and a magnetically diminished side 404 of the magnet 400.The magnetically augmented side 402 has magnetic fields that combine toform a reinforced magnetic field 420 while the magnetically diminishedside 404 has magnetic fields that cancel each other. The magneticallyaugmented side 402 of the magnet 400 is positioned to face toward thefloor 104 when mounted on the tread surface 305. Likewise, themagnetically augmented side 402 of the magnet 400 is positioned to facetoward the tread surface 305 when mounted on the floor 104. When magnets400 employing the Halbach array are used at both positions of anadjacent pair of magnetic elements, the magnets 400 are relativelypositioned to each other such that the magnetic fields 420 interact witheach other to create a strong magnetic force between the pair of magnets400.

The above specification provides examples of how certain inventiveaspects may be put into practice. It will be appreciated that theinventive aspects can be practiced in other ways than those specificallyshown and described herein without departing from the spirit and scopeof the inventive aspects of the present disclosure.

1. A magnetically attached floor covering system for covering a floor ofa boat, the magnetically attached floor covering system comprising: aset of magnetic floor elements including a plurality of magnetic floorelements, the set of magnetic floor elements connected to and positionedon the floor of the boat according to a first layout; and a removablefloor covering including a tread surface and a set of magnetic floorcovering elements, the set of magnetic floor covering elements includinga plurality of magnetic floor covering elements; wherein the magneticfloor covering elements are connected to and positioned below the treadsurface according to a second layout; wherein the first layout and thesecond layout generally position the magnetic floor elements and themagnetic floor covering elements at matching locations when theremovable floor covering is installed over the floor; and wherein theset of magnetic floor elements and the set of magnetic floor coveringelements magnetically attract each other thereby promoting theattachment of the removable floor covering to the floor of the boat. 2.The magnetically attached floor covering system of claim 1, wherein theplurality of magnetic floor elements are magnets.
 3. The magneticallyattached floor covering system of claim 1, wherein the plurality ofmagnetic floor covering elements are magnets.
 4. The magneticallyattached floor covering system of claim 3, wherein the plurality ofmagnetic floor elements are additional magnets.
 5. The magneticallyattached floor covering system of claim 2, wherein the magnets includemagnetic segments arranged in a Halbach array.
 6. The magneticallyattached floor covering system of claim 3, wherein the magnets includemagnetic segments arranged in a Halbach array.
 7. The magneticallyattached floor covering system of claim 4, wherein the magnets and theadditional magnets include magnetic segments arranged in a Halbacharray.
 8. The magnetically attached floor covering system of claim 1,wherein the set of magnetic floor elements is attached to the floor ofthe boat by adhesively bonding the magnetic floor elements to the floorof the boat.
 9. The magnetically attached floor covering system of claim1, wherein the set of magnetic floor elements is attached to the floorof the boat by molding the magnetic floor elements to the floor of theboat during the manufacture of the floor.
 10. The magnetically attachedfloor covering system of claim 9, wherein uncured resin of the floorwets the magnetic floor elements and bonds the magnetic floor elementsto the floor during the manufacture of the floor.
 11. The magneticallyattached floor covering system of claim 1, wherein tops of the magneticfloor elements are recessed below a top surface of the floor.
 12. Themagnetically attached floor covering system of claim 1, wherein tops ofthe magnetic floor elements are substantially flush with a top surfaceof the floor.
 13. The magnetically attached floor covering system ofclaim 1, wherein the magnetic floor elements are positioned withinpockets of the floor.
 14. The magnetically attached floor coveringsystem of claim 13, wherein tops of the magnetic floor elements arerecessed below a top surface of the floor.
 15. The magnetically attachedfloor covering system of claim 13, wherein tops of the magnetic floorelements are substantially flush with a top surface of the floor. 16.The magnetically attached floor covering system of claim 14, wherein themagnetic floor covering elements of the removable floor covering extendbelow a bottom surface of the removable floor covering and arepositioned within the pockets of the floor when the removable floorcovering is installed over the floor of the boat.
 17. The magneticallyattached floor covering system of claim 15, wherein the magnetic floorcovering elements of the removable floor covering are substantiallyflush with a bottom surface of the removable floor covering.
 18. Themagnetically attached floor covering system of claim 1, wherein theremovable floor covering can be uninstalled from the floor of the boatby peeling.
 19. The magnetically attached floor covering system of claim1, wherein the removable floor covering includes a high friction bottomsurface that grips the floor of the boat when the removable floorcovering is installed over the floor of the boat.
 20. The magneticallyattached floor covering system of claim 1, wherein the removable floorcovering is bounded by a perimeter matching at least a portion of aperimeter of the floor of the boat when the removable floor covering isinstalled over the floor of the boat, and wherein the matchingperimeters cooperate with the set of magnetic floor elements and the setof magnetic floor covering elements in promoting the attachment of theremovable floor covering to the floor of the boat.